2017-07-27 Carer's Holiday Break Report

The Rotary Club of Horbury and Ossett Phoenix have this year funded a local man to go on a carer's holiday break organised by the Rotary Club of Scarborough.

CARER HOLIDAY PROFILE – an elderly couple both in their 80s[we don’t think it is appropriate to identify the couple so we are simply referring to them as H and W ]

Husband (H) has cared for his wife (W) for over 25 years and she now has to use a wheelchair in some circumstances. Whilst caring for his wife H also had a health problem that required a quadruple heart bypass graft and additionally he suffers from diabetes. The couple have been married for over 56 years. H has a car on the government mobility scheme to transport his wife around for shopping etc. and regularly attends a local carers group for men where he finds help and assurance from other members in a similar position. Whilst John has been attending the group he has picked up artistic skills and now is an established artist and has produced some stunning water colour paintings. The offer of the carer holiday was gratefully accepted by the couple as W could be cared for by family members near Scarborough.

H was encouraged to accept the offer of the break by W as she understands the stress of having to wash and dress her every morning for 25yrs. The couple have had very little support from social care within the District. Members of Phoenix Rotary took H to Scarborough and brought him back at the end of it. Scarborough Rotary Club organised all the activities throughout the days and evenings for the 6 carers – and organised their transport while they were staying there.

After the Holiday H was driven home by one of the Phoenix members and this section includes some feedback that our club member received from H:

H was brimming with praise for the Red Lea Hotel in Scarborough and particularly for the excellent organisation carried out on his and the other carers behalf by the Rotary Club of Scarborough.

He said that he had been to 2 shows, a musical and a Bernie Clifton show and had several other outings to a variety of places including a stained glass centre, Burton Agnes and Flower of May to see the traction engine collection and Wurlitzer organ collection. He got on famously with their holiday driver (a past president of Scarborough Rotary Club) and also commented that all the members of his group got on very well with each other too. He mentioned that it was the best break he had had in 25 years and that when he wasn't being chauffeured around or being fed some very good food, he managed to do plenty of walking (which he loves). He sent his sincere thanks to the members of Horbury & Ossett Phoenix for making this possible.